America
currently finds itself in an economic situation rivaling the Great
Depression. Fortunately, there is an opportunity for the people of
California to create a viable industry via the legalization of
cannabis. This could generate countless jobs at a time when they are
desperately needed. We stand now at a critical juncture, one where we
could act to protect one of the last "mom and pop" businesses left in
America, or stand by as massive corporations steal yet another
industry. AB 390, introduced by Tom Ammiano to the California
legislature, along with other initiatives, are some of the only sound
politics our state has seen in years. While these bills have many
issues, with swift action in local communities we can work to ensure
that the holes left by these new laws do not endanger the local
businesses and families which they directly affect. Great challenges
lie ahead, both in legislative fields related to cannabis and in the
transition of the grey medical market to a traditional business model.
The growth of cannabis and hemp was legal in America until the early
1900's, when states began to move to prohibit its cultivation, and
finally on a federal level via the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. This
situation persisted until the ratification of senate bill 420 in 1996,
since then a grassroots business has sprung up all over California
allowing - for the first time since the the 1900's - Americans to raise
cannabis without fear of persecution. In 1637, in Hartford Connecticut,
and in the Massachusetts courts in 1639, an order was placed stating
that "all families must plant one teaspoon of hemp seed. That we might
in time have supply of linen cloth among ourselves." Motivated by
economic desperation the colonists resolved to best utilize the natural
resources they had at hand. We too must seek to do the same in this
time of need. It is my hope that if granted this opportunity, we meet
these challenges in a way that protects the interests of California
families and businesses.

Two of the issues that need to be addressed are worker
protection and employer integrity. I know many people who have worked
on farms over the years, and while there are a sizeable number of
respectable growers that provide adequate conditions and compensation
to their laborers, there are others who take advantage of the fact that
in an illegal industry, workers have no rights. These exploitative
individuals, often members of criminal cartels, take little
responsibility for the quality of their crop, or for the environmental
consequences which result from their practices. This creates
substandard medication in a marketplace that is supposed to foster
health as well as bolster the economy. It has become clear to me that
these practices must be stopped, and that crop quality and worker
treatment be made a priority if this industry is to be taken seriously.
This will not happen if regulators come out to a farm that is
haphazardly run by criminal profiteers. The best course of action is to
allow regulation of the industry, so that irresponsible growers are
eventually buried under red tape and fines, allowing law-abiding
citizens to continue their work unthreatened by violent outlaws. In
order to move forward, a clear standard of business ethics must be
implemented and fair labor practices enforced.

The area for which I have the greatest concern, is the intrusion
of corporate entities into the cannabis industry. We must act quickly
to raise awareness and keep out massive agrobusiness giants and tobacco
concerns in order to preserve currently operating family farms. Since
1907, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, North Dakota and several other midwestern
states have adopted strict anti-corporate farming laws. With few
exceptions these laws have done wonders for preserving family business,
ensuring that the ownership of average acreage stays within family
hands and in fact creating provisions for small corporations created
under strict guidelines, such as that one of the members of the
corporation lives and works on the premises, and that all members live
in the county in which the corporation was created.

These farm bills bills are already written and have withstood
repeated legal attacks as recently as 2009, including challenges of
constitutionality and those concerning commerce laws, while cities like
Arcata have banned the construction of additional corporate stores
within their city limits. If given the opportunity, giant companies
like Monsanto, RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris will immediately set up
shop and begin pushing out the local growers. This will totally
undermine the point of Ammiano's and related bills - namely, the
creation of jobs and wealth for California citizens. I would suggest
the adoption of plain language city and county ordinances that prohibit
any corporation (except those created under strict guidelines) from
purchasing land or participating in the farming of cannabis in the
respective areas. I think these initiatives would be met with great
enthusiasm by the people of Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity counties
especially, as their livelihood has long been based on the local
production and distribution of cannabis.

- Advertisement -

If we do this right, we can create thousands of legitimate jobs
for our struggling friends and families in local communities, while
also creating billions in tax revenue for the state of California. The
home grower will no longer experience fear, persecution and the
possibility jail time. Farmers in the central valley squeezed by
drought, and the need to produce crops with high production costs will
have an alternative in the production of hemp or cannabis, and
additionally farm laborers will be able to demand fair treatment. We
must follow the examples of the hemp growing Virginia colonists, and
raise awareness about the possibility of change in our communities.

Either we establish an organized plan to manage the autonomous
California cannabis industry, or we allow our one homegrown business to
be buried by successive corporate takeovers of large swaths of land and
warehouse space. It's up to us! It is my hope we can collectively rise
to the occasion and protect the industry we have all worked so hard to
create.